The present disclosure relates to electrically operated radiation generators and, more particularly, to monitoring and/or controlling operation of an electrically operate radiation generator.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as an admission of any kind.
Generally, an electrically operated radiation generator, such as an X-ray generator, a gamma ray generator, or a neutron generator, may generate radiation using electrical power on-demand to facilitate determining characteristics of its surrounding environment. Thus, electrically operated radiation generators may be used in various contexts, such as a downhole tool or for material analysis. For example, in a downhole tool, an electrically operated radiation generator may facilitate determining porosity of surrounding formations based at least in part on radiation count and/or mineralogy of surrounding formations based at least in part on a radiation spectrum.
To facilitate determining the characteristics, the electrically operated radiation generator may output high energy radiation into its surrounding environment. Once output, the high energy radiation may interact with atoms in the surroundings, for example. This interaction may be scattering of the radiation off of electrons in the atoms or off the atomic nuclei. The interaction may also include transferring energy to a nucleus or inducing nuclear reactions, which may result in the release of gamma rays, charged particles and/or neutrons. In some instances, relationship between radiation output from the electrically operated radiation generator and radiation received from the surrounding environment may be indicative of characteristics of the surrounding environment.
Additionally, in some instances, characteristics of radiation output from an electrically operated radiation generator may be indicative of the operation of the electrically operated radiation generator and, thus, used to control operation. However, in some instances, accurately determining characteristics of radiation output from an electrically operated radiation generator may be difficult, for example, due to space constraints, high temperatures, and/or high radiation flux.